The Stronghold of Madness
by MystikRebellion
Summary: A human, who can somehow talk to the herd, comes back 10 years in time to warn the herd of a mysterious evil that takes over the island in his time- one the herd knows much too well. Rated for violence and possible minor language. I do not own Ice Age.
1. Chapter 1

The Stronghold of Madness

CH. 1

On an island named Switchback Cove, there sat in a tree a female rabbit, eating a bright red apple found on the tree. As she eats, she notices a mammoth and two humans walk into a nearby clearing with a large tree in the exact center of it. The mammoth touches his trunk to the trunk of the tree. All of a sudden, a batch of thick fog rolls in and she loses sight of the mammoth and humans. A few seconds later, the fog disappears. The mammoth and humans are gone as well.

"Wh-what just happened?" says the frightened rabbit.

"What did just happen?" replies a male rabbit, now appearing next to her on the branch, with a blade aimed directly at her. "Too bad you won't be livin' to find out."

"Come on, Louis, it can't be that bad," says Peaches. "It's supposed to be for fun, after all."

"You have a lot shorter distance to the ground than I do, you know," replies Louis. They were both on their way to try out a new drop ride the other mammoths had created at the waterfall.

"It can't be nearly as scary as that time you faced Gutt."

"Still..."

"Come on, try it."

"I don't know..."

"Pretty please? For me?"

Louis thought for a moment before replying, "Alright. For you, I will ride it."

"Yes!" exclaimed Peaches. This was one of the few times Louis would actually participate in the fun. "I promise, you won't regret it."

"I sure hope you keep that promise."

A few minutes later, Peaches and Louis arrived at the waterfall.

"Peaches, Louis, you're finally here! Great!" Ethan exclaimed. "Ready to try the new ride?"

"Yeah!" exclaimed Peaches.

"I guess..." Louis nervously said.

"Come on, Louis. I rode it earlier, and I'm as fine as can be." Ethan pointed his trunk to two other mammoths currently riding it. It was a chunk of ice that slid down the waterfall. Peaches watched in joy, Louis in fear as the mammoths screamed before hitting the water. They both came out perfectly unharmed.

"See? Fun, no harm," said Ethan. "Now, it's your turn."

Peaches and Louis got on the chunk of ice that magically got back to the top of the waterfall.

"Just remember not to lean forward if you can't swim; that makes it hit the water so hard, you sink."

"Oh no... Oh no..." Louis muttered in peril as the ice started to go over the side.

"Hold on tight!" Ethan yelled as they went over the side.

"WHEEEEEEEEEEE!" screamed Peaches.

"NEVER AGAIN!" squealed Louis.

Suddenly, as they reach the bottom, a gust of wind blows the ice onto land and it starts sliding off into the woods.

"That's not good," mutters Ethan before chasing after them.

"WHAT'S HAPPENING?" yelled Louis.

"WE'VE GONE OFF THE FALLS!" yelled Peaches, now in as much fear as Louis.

"I DON"T WANT TO DIE!" exclaimed Louis as the ice started to approach a tree.

"LOUIS, HOLD ON!" screamed Peaches as she jumped off the ice just before it hit a tree and broke in half.

Peaches and Louis, now panting for their lives, were happy to be off the ice and safe on the ground.

"As I said on the ice," Louis said between pants, "never again."

Out of the blue, a human walks up to them, and as they stand up, they notice him, and back away.

"Who are you?" asked Louis.

"What do you want?" demanded Peaches. "Wait... humans don't talk, so how can he tell us?"

"Come with me." The human said. "Now."

"Or maybe they do," Peaches replied, flabbergasted. "How do you talk?"

"Come with me as I get the rest of your herd. I will explain when you are all together."

Without any other choice, Peaches and Louis follow the human.

"What's your name?" Louis questioned.

"Tyson," the human answered, "but you can call me Ty. I rather prefer it, actually."

* * *

"Peaches!" Ethan yelled loudly. "Louis! Are you okay?" He stumbles upon the chunk of ice, but unfortunately not his friends. "Where could they be..."

* * *

Peaches, Louis, and Tyson find Diego and Shira in the woods, finishing up a gazelle they had just caught and eaten. They walk up to them, and Diego says, "Hey Peaches, Louis, and human I've never met in my life..."

"Who is he?" Shira asks Peaches and Louis.

"I am Ty, short for Tyson, and I can speak for myself, thank you very much," Tyson replies.

"You speak?" Diego questions. "How?"

"That is for later." Tyson answers. "For now, we must gather the rest of the herd."

Diego and Shira look at Peaches and Louis with questioning gazes. They both reply with shrugs.

"Alright, lets go."

* * *

Tyson, Peaches, Louis, Diego, and Shira find the rest of the herd back at the cave they live in. Manny and Ellie are eating some fruit, while Crash and Eddie are having a slapfight on the branch above Ellie before falling onto her tusks. Sid is busy following his Granny while she searches for Precious.

"Hey, everyone, over here," Peaches exclaims.

"Whoa, whoa, who's the human," Manny asks, aiming a death glare at Tyson.

"I am Tyson, but I prefer Ty. Before you ask how I talk, I will explain in a minute," Tyson replies. "But first, you must know where I come from."

"Where do you come from?" Crash asks excitedly.

"Is it somewhere cooler than here?" Eddie questions. "I bet it is!"

"To you, yes," replies Tyson, "for I come from ten years in the future."

"Get as far away from this herd as possible and never, ever come back!" Manny exclaims.

"Dad!" Peaches groans.

"I don't want my daughter around a talking lunatic human that for some unknown reason thinks he came back from ten years in the future." Manny says. "On another note, how do you know who we are?"

"How did I know that would be your reaction when I told you I'm from the future?" Tyson replies.

"The only way you could have known is if you knew him well..." says Ellie. "Let me guess. In the future, you're the first human to join our herd."

"Kind of," answers Tyson. "Me and my twin brother are the first humans to join your herd. Now, you're all dying to know many things about me, such as why I joined the herd, how I can talk, and why I came back in time ten years."

"Figures. Now this herd has practically every animal," Sid adds.

"I still don't believe you," says Manny.

"You will. Eventually," replies Tyson. "Now, what do want to know first?"

"Why did you join our herd?" Shira asks.

"Well, it all started when..."

Flashback

_5 year old Tyson and his twin brother, Tyrone, are walking with their parents back to the human camp. Suddenly, a pack of sabers attacked them. They are eventually backed up against a cliff near a river when the dad sends Tyson and Tyrone out on a chunk of ice on the river for their safety. The river carries Tyson and Tyrone out to sea and they start floating adrift in the ocean._

* * *

_About two and a half days later, Tyson and Tyrone arrive at an island and get off at the shore. They start to slowly walk, weakened by lack of food, when a mammoth and a molehog approach them._

"_Aww, they're so cute!" exclaimed the mammoth._

"_I wonder where their parents are," said the molehog._

_The mammoth and molehog search the island for the rest of the day, but do not find any other humans._

"_They're way too young to be living by themselves. I'll ask dad if they can stay with the herd until we find their parents." the mammoth states. Reluctantly, the mammoth's father allows the two humans to stay with the herd._

End Flashback

"And that is how me and Tyrone ended up with the herd," finishes Tyson.

Ellie aims a death glare at Manny, and states, "There were two five- year old humans without any parents or guardians around, and you were _reluctant _to let them stay?"

"Will be, Ellie," Manny replies, "will be."

"We grew on the herd fast," Tyson says, "so fast, in fact, that after only a couple months, Manny thoughtof us as his sons."

"So, how far in the future does this happen?" asks Diego.

"About two years, give or take." replies Tyson.

"I still don't get it though; how do you talk?" inquires Peaches.

"You really think we could live with you for eight years and not pick up your language?" answers Tyson. "How else would we communicate?"

"Good point."

"Now, I know you're all itching to know why I came back in time, but it's gotten a bit late, and time traveling can wear you out a bit," states Tyson.

The herd looks up, and notices a dark blue sky covered in shining stars.

"In the future, where do you usually sleep, Ty?" asked Ellie.

"Normally, I sleep next to Peaches," Tyson replies. "I grow on her really fast, and just get used to sleeping by her." When he sees Manny's death glare, he quickly adds, "Beneath her, under the tree, I mean. Not right next to her. Heh heh." He goes to lay down underneath where Peaches is hanging from the tree.

Manny then walks with Ellie back to their sleeping place in the tree. "I'm not sure that I trust this guy," Manny whispers. "He comes out of the blue, states we adopted him and his brother in the future, and for some unknown reason, comes back in time to see his family from ten years ago."

"Oh, come on," Ellie replies quietly, "Sure, his story's a bit fishy, but what would he gain from lying to us? Plus, how else did he learn how to talk? And know who we are?"

"I still don't trust him."

"You don't trust anybody until you've known them for a long time, and technically, you have."

"We'll see."

With that, the mammoths proceed to fall asleep.

* * *

"Hey, Ty, you awake?" Peaches whispers.

"Yeah. You can't sleep either?"

"Nope. I don't think I can until I find out why you're here," Peaches says in a hopeful tone.

"You have to wait until tomorrow like everyone else."

"Why?"

"Because, it's a reason that would be easier to tell to the entire herd. Plus, if anyone should find out first, its Manny. You'll figure out why tomorrow."

"Does it have something to do with dad?"

Tyson waits a few seconds before answering. "Yes. But... not in a good way."

At this, Peaches decides to stopping asking about it. "Goodnight, Ty."

"Goodnight, Peaches." After he sees the mammoth already asleep, he silently adds, "For it could be the last for a while."

* * *

"Peaches! Wake up!" yells Ty.

"What! I'm up! I'm up! Whoa!" exclaims Peaches as she falls out of the tree. "What was that for?"

"Everyone else is awake. I'm about to reveal why I'm here."

Peaches stands up and walks over to where everyone else is gathered.

"Apple?" Manny says as he hands her an apple with his trunk.

"Thanks," Peaches replies.

"Now, you're all wondering why I'm here," Tyson says, "and why Tyrone is not. They both belong to the same reason, so I can tell you all at once."

"Just get on with it already!" yells Crash.

"Yeah! Where's the part where we get to beat some bad guys?" asks Eddie.

"Actually, we do get to, as you say it, 'beat some bad guys'," Tyson answers.

"YEAH!" Crash and Eddie exclaim at the same time.

"Wait a second," Manny says, "we have to fight villains again?"

"Yes. That is part of the reason I came here."

"I'm not sure Peaches should be here..." Manny replies.

"Oh, yes she should," Tyson answers, "we'll need as much help as we can get."

"What exactly are these 'bad guys' we are facing?" asks Ellie.

"Ten years from now, this island becomes a very dark and evil place."

"I don't like where this is going..." says Louis.

"It is ruled by a dark force with a small army so powerful, all the island's inhabitants are victims to it, or are in hiding because of it. The worst of the dark force is the leader..."

"Let me guess. The leader is your brother, Tyrone?" Ellie asks.

"No, but he is second in command to the leader. That is why he is not here. I came back to ask your assistance in defeating this evil force and saving the island from tragedy."

"If the future us couldn't stop this evil force, how do you expect us to?" Sid questions.

"Because... The leader of this force is someone each of you know very well. Peaches, if you combine this with what I told you last night, this means...?"

Peaches thinks for a moment before answering, "No... It can't be..."

"Well, who is it?" Manny asks impatiently.

Tyson stares grimly for a few seconds before replying, "The evil leader... is you, Manny."


	2. Chapter 2

CH. 2

The entire herd stands in shock. Louis faints and Peaches tries to wake him up.

"ME?" Manny exclaims very loudly.

"Yes, you," answers Tyson.

"Why... Why would I turn evil and take over the island?" asks Manny.

"That's what I'd like to know," replies Tyson.

"So, you came back because you think that the Manny of now can defeat the evil Manny of the future?" questions Diego.

"Yes. After all, who's better at defeating someone than themselves?"

Louis, now awake, says, "So, to fight him, we're going to have to go to the future, right? How will we do that?"

"The same way I got here. A wormhole," replies Tyson.

"You came through a hole in the ground?" asks Crash, Eddie, and Sid.

"Uh, no. A wormhole is a break in time that connects two distant time periods." answers Tyson.

"So, where is this wormhole?" asks Ellie.

"It's on the north side of the island, in a tree in a clearing. To use it, you just have to touch a particular part on a branch." answers Tyson.

"When do we leave?" questions Shira.

"As soon as possible, I say, so maybe-" Tyson states, but is cut off by Manny.

"Wait. Who said anything about going?" asks Manny.

"Dad! We have to help the future us stop the future you," says Peaches, who silently adds, "Weirdest sentence I've said in my life."

"If you don't come, you'll turn evil and take over the island," replies Tyson. "If you do come, we might be able to figure out why you turn evil and prevent it from happening."

Manny waits before replying, "Fine, but if things get dangerous, Peaches sits out."

"Dad! Let me fight!" Peaches says.

"We need all the help we can get." adds Tyson.

"Alright, you can help. But you better not get hurt." Manny answers.

"Yes!" exclaims Peaches.

"Now, as I was saying, we leave after lunch. I suggest you all say goodbye to friends outside the herd before then."

As the herd starts to leave, Tyson remembers, "Oh, one more thing. In a few years, Sid's granny dies, and I think it would be best to leave her behind, because seeing his grandmother for only a few days would probably send Sid into another state of depression. What do you think?"

Manny looks around and sees the entire herd nodding yes except Sid, but Manny replies, "If you think it's best, she stays behind," ignoring Sid's crestfallen face, before adding, "And does anyone know where she's been all this time?"

"PRECIOUS!" Granny yells as she walks along the seashore. The giant whale hops out of the ocean and Granny climbs into his mouth. "Take me for a ride, Precious!" Granny says as the whale dives underwater.

* * *

"Hey Ethan!" Peaches yells when she sees the mammoth walking along the beach.

"Peaches!" Ethan replies. "What happened yesterday? I found the ice, but you and Louis weren't there.

"We jumped off before we hit a tree. After that, a human walked up and told us-"

"Wait. The human spoke?"

"Yes."

"How?"

"Well, he claims to have come from the future. He said my herd adopted him and his brother and he learned how to speak from us."

"He came from the future? How is that possible?"

"He says he came through a wormhole. But the most shocking thing is why he came back in time."

"Why?"

"He said that in the future, my dad becomes an evil overlord with a small army at his command."

"Your dad? Evil? Why would he do that?"

"Tyson- that's the human, by the way- says that he doesn't even know. He came back to ask my dad and the herd to help fight my future dad. He says no one can beat someone better than themselves."

"Wait- you are leaving to go to the future? When?"

"Today, after lunch. That's what I wanted to see you about. I wanted to say goodbye before I go, since I might not be coming back, and..." Peaches is abruptly stopped when Ethan suddenly kisses her.

On the lips.

Shocked at first, Peaches eventually falls into their first kiss, which lasts for a few seconds.

"Take that as my goodbye, hope to see you again present."

"Ethan..."

"I'll miss you while you're gone, Peaches."

"I'll miss you too Ethan... When I come back, do you, maybe, want to go out?"

"I'd love too."

"See you when I get back!"

"See you then, as well!"

"Bye!"

"Bye!" When Peaches is out of hearing range, she quietly adds, "I love you..."

* * *

Louis watches with a sad expression as Ethan kisses Peaches, and then agrees to go out with her when she gets back.

If only he had told her, then maybe he would be going on a date with Peaches after the adventure, not Et-

"Oomph!" Louis groans as another molehog suddenly falls on top of him.

"Oops! Sorry about that! I was just running to get berries off that bush over there, and then I accidentally walk into you..."

Louis cannot help but stare at this new molehog as she talks to him. Her light brown fur reflecting the sunlight is just so...

"Why are you staring at me? Do I have something in my fur?" the molehog asks.

"Oh...no... but... your fur is cute," Louis states.

"Aww, thank you! My name is Ginny, by the way."

"My name is Louis. See you around, I guess?"

"See you around. Bye!"

"Bye!" Louis says as Ginny burrows away.

'Ginny. That's a nice name.' Louis thinks. 'Maybe Peaches going out with Ethan won't be such a bad thing.'

* * *

Diego and Shira are in the woods sharing a freshly caught gazelle.

"Is it just me, or is this gazelle better than the last few have been?" Diego asks.

"Probably because it's the last you'll have in this time period for a while," Shira answers.

"I don't think it works that way."

"It doesn't taste any different to me."

Diego stares at the meat for a few seconds before replying, "Maybe I'm just going crazy."

"I'm surprised you're the one saying that, not me," Shira replies.

"Me too... or am I?" Diego says, jokingly.

"That proves it."

"Or does it?"

Yes it does."

Diego pauses a moment before responding, "We're both crazy."

"Yeah, I'm pretty sure it's just you."

"But, we're both following a talking human into a future in which our friend is an evil overlord."

Shira stares at Diego a moment before answering, "That settles it. Neither of us are crazy; we're both insane."

"Or are we?"

"Shut up."

"Or should I?"

"Want me to make you?"

"I'll shut up."

"Or will I?"

* * *

Manny and Ellie are enjoying a nice array of fruits near the waterfall.

"So, do you still have your doubts about this Tyson kid?" Ellie asks.

"Very much so. I mean, his story is so unbelievable. Ten years in the future, I lead an evil army while in control of the island, and put you guys in mortal danger? Not me," Manny replies.

"You sure acted like you believed him around Ty."

"Like I'm letting him know I'm skeptical."

"If what he says is true, he's probably already figured that out."

"That's if he's telling the truth, which I believe he is not."

Both mammoths look over to see a mammoth going down the waterfall on a chunk of ice, but landing successfully at the bottom, unlikely Peaches and Louis.

"I sure hope Peaches hasn't done that," Manny states.

"Come on, he acted like it was fun."

Manny and Ellie see another mammoth go down the falls, before sliding off onto land in the same manner as Peaches and Louis.

"Still look like fun?" Manny says before rushing to try and stop the ice. He catches up with the ice and puts his tusks on the front edge of the ice, pushing him backward, but successfully slowing down and stopping the ice before it collides with something.

The mammoth pants rapidly before saying, "Thank you, sir."

"Ethan?"

"Peaches' dad?"

"What were you doing on the waterfall?"

"It's a ride we came up with a few days ago; I was trying to figure out what went wrong in Peaches and Louis' accident yesterday... Uh oh..."

"Peaches rode that? And there was an accident?"

"What kind of accident?" Ellie asks.

"The same thing that just happened to me. Peaches jumped before she hit a tree, and wasn't harmed."

"Why didn't she tell us?" Manny questions.

"It seems a lot less dangerous than the future you guys are going to."

"How did you know about that?"

"Peaches told me when she was saying goodbye, and then I kissed her, and she asked me out on a date..." Ethan replies in a trance-like state.

"YOU KISSED PEACHES?" Manny explodes.

"Ooh! Peaches' first kiss! So exciting!" Ellie exclaims.

"AND SHE ASKED YOU OUT ON A DATE?"

"I said way too much, didn't I?"

"No you said just enough," Manny replies. "Why did you kiss Peaches? And she didn't even ask if she could date you."

"The time was perfect for one, Peaches was ranting on, and I just... went for it," Ethan says. "And Peaches is the one that brought up the date... Even though I probably would've asked if she didn't..."

"Come on, Manny, let her go. She's 16, nearly 17, and this is her first date. Besides, I think they really like each other," Ellie states.

"Fine. But I don't want to see any kids until she's at least 21."

"It's our first date, not marriage. That won't happen for a long time."

"It better not."

"Thank you, sir, for letting me date your daughter."

"You are welcome. And take good care of her, too."

"You have my word."

"Now, to talk to Peaches about this..."

* * *

Back at the tree, the entire herd is gathered (except Granny, of course) and is ready to go to the future.

"Are we all set to go?" Tyson asks.

"Me and Ellie would like to talk to Peaches first," Manny says, "in private."

"Sure thing, as long as you don't take all day."

"We won't."

* * *

Peaches walks behind her parents into the woods, wondering what they want to talk about. Suddenly, she gets the idea that maybe they're not letting her go to the future.

"Please say this isn't about me not going to the future," Peaches says.

"It's not." Manny replies.

"Phew."

"It's about the ice yesterday, and this morning, you and Ethan."

"How did you find out about all that?"

"Ethan had the same ice incident you did, and Manny saved him. After that, he let everything slip," Ellie says.

"Oh no... So now I can't date Ethan, can I?"

"First, we talk about the ice."

"After seeing what happened to Ethan, I'm in agreement with Manny. I don't want you doing that again."

"After what happened, I don't want to do it again."

"Good. Now, onto what happened this morning."

Peaches is waiting to get punished for kissing Ethan and asking him out on a date, but instead, she is surprised to get this:

"Your first kiss! I am so proud of you! How was it?" asks Ellie.

"I have already given Ethan permission to date you. Congratulations," states Manny.

"Really? Thank you dad!" Peaches replies. "Oh, and the kiss was amazing."

"We- well, more Ellie than me, but, anyway- we know how much you like him, and you're nearly 17, and it's your first date, so, as long as I don't see any kids until you're at least 21, you can date Ethan."

"Dad, it's our first date, not marriage," Peaches replies. "We won't have kids for a long time."

"Exactly how Ethan responded. I like it."

"Thank you, dad. I love you guys so much!"

"We love you too, sweetie."

"And we always will, no matter what."

* * *

Manny, Ellie, and Peaches return to the herd, Peaches having a huge smile on her face.

"What was that about?" Louis whispers to Peaches.

"They found out about the ice, and what happened this morning with Ethan," Peaches replies. "And guess what? Dad's actually letting me date Ethan! Isn't it great?"

"Congratulations."

"Are you okay, Louis?"

"Yeah, it's just, I kinda had a crush..."

"You had a crush on me?"

"Yeah, but not as much now, after meeting Ginny..."

"Who's Ginny?"

"Just the prettiest molehog in the world."

"Aww! You have a girlfriend too?"

"No, I didn't ask her out on a date. But I might when we come back," Louis replies as another smile grows on Peaches' face.

"Now that that's settled, let's get off to the future," Tyson announces.

* * *

As the herd hurries to the north side of the island, Peaches walks up to Tyson and asks, "Wait. When we arrive, are we going to meet our future selves?"

"Of course," Tyson answers.

"Are we all the same as we are now, excluding dad, or have we changed?"

"For the most part, you're all the same, except for that since losing Manny, you've all become more depressed."

"That makes since."

"And there might be a few new members of the herd besides me and Tyrone as well."

"Did Diego and Shira have cubs?"

"One. His name is Antonio, and he is very much like his father, but with fur that matches his mother. When you see him, he'll be about eight. There's another member of the herd, too, though."

"Do I have a new brother or sister?"

"No."

"Did Sid finally get a wife and have a family?"

"Do you really think Sid will ever find a wife?"

"Hey!" Sid yells, suddenly appearing next to them. "I take offense to that."

"Well then, who's the new member?" Peaches says, ignoring Sid completely.

"He's your son, Graham."

"I HAVE A SON?" Peaches yells loud enough for the entire herd to hear her.

"Hold up a second! When did I get a grandson?" Manny asks.

"He's a cute little fella. Three years old, at the time we're going to of course."

"Who's the father?"

"Who do you think?"

"Ethan?"

"Right on the money."

Meanwhile, Manny is in the back, quietly adding, "Her 16 plus 10 equals 26... minus his three equals... 23. Huh. They actually listened to me."

Ellie rolls her eyes.

Back at the front...

"Ooh! I can't wait to meet him!" Peaches squeals.

"Well then, we best get to the wormhole as fast as possible," Tyson states.

About ten minutes later, the herd arrives at a clearing with a large tree in the middle.

"Is that the wormhole?" Peaches asks.

"Yes," Tyson answers.

"I don't mean to alarm anyone, but there is a dead rabbit on the ground over here," Shira mentions.

"You're sure it's dead?" Sid asks.

"Yes, it is dead, Sid," Shira replies.

Tyson then says, "If you didn't get enough lunch, there's a snack."

"That seems a little mean," says Peaches.

"Why? It's already dead. There's nothing we can do to change that."

"But how did it die?" Manny asks.

"It looks like..." Shira then pauses, "It was stabbed in the heart with a knife."

"Who would do such a thing?" Peaches asks.

Shira waits a few seconds before replying, "It looks like Squint's victims did on the ship..."

"But, it couldn't be him. He died with the crew six months ago," Diego states.

"We think." Shira answers.

"Let's just get to the future. We have much more important matters waiting for us there," Tyson says.

"Okay then. Lead the way," Ellie says.

Tyson and the herd walk up to the tree. Tyson finds a large circle carved into the tree and presses on it. Suddenly, a thick batch of fog rolls in.

"Is that supposed to happen?" asks Manny.

"It did when I came here," replies Tyson.

Suddenly, a circular piece of land (with the tree in the middle and the herd standing on it) rises up from the Earth. It starts to slowly turn before everything goes black. In ten years (to the herd, it feels like a few seconds), the herd arrives at their destination. They get up, as the sudden movement caused them all to fall down, and look at their surroundings. It looks a lot like the place they just left, except that everything has a dark aura to it.

"Welcome to the future."


	3. Chapter 3

CH. 3

"It looks so... so..." Ellie says, struggling to find the right word.

"Evil? Dark? Depressing?" Tyson suggests.

"Yeah..."

"I get that a lot."

"You have more visitors from the past?" Manny asks.

"No. I get it from everyone that lives here now."

"So... What do we do now?" asks Peaches.

"First, we go the rebellion, which is everyone here, minus Manny, and plus Ethan, Antonio, and Graham," answers Tyson.

"Well, where are we?" asks Shira.

"Um, we're all right here," replies Crash.

"I meant the future us, dummy."

"They're in a cave a short walk from here. It shouldn't take more than ten minutes," answers Tyson.

"Hey, Manny, can I have a ride?" Sid asks.

"Sid, he said ten minutes. You can walk." Manny replies.

"Huh. No wonder you turn evil."

"What was that?"

"Oh... uh... I said how could you turn evil? Yeah, that's what I said..." Sid then sees Manny's glare. "Heh...heh..."

* * *

Approximately ten minutes later, the herd arrives at the cave where the rebellion is.

"Now, I've already told them that I was bringing you here, so they won't be very surprised to see you," Tyson says. "Other than maybe Crash and Eddie."

"He's right," says Crash.

"We would have never listened," Eddie adds.

The entire herd rolls their eyes before heading into the cave.

As they enter, they see a female mammoth (One they're all very familiar with) sitting at the front of the cave. When she sees them coming, she starts to perk up.

" ...Manny? Is it really you?" Future Ellie asks.

"Yes, Ellie. It's me." Manny replies.

The future Ellie runs up and hugs Manny while saying, "It's been so long since I've seen you, you know... not evil." Manny and future Ellie then break the hug.

"Hello, Ellie," past Ellie says. "I am...well, Ellie."

"I've never said hello to myself before," future Ellie says. "Hello, Ellie."

They are abruptly interrupted by a young, gray furred saber running up to the front of the cave. "Hey, Ellie, mom told me to come get you to switch shifts-" He stops when he sees younger versions of his parents. "Mom? Dad? Weren't you just- Oh, right. Tyson is bringing the past herd to the future today. I almost forgot."

"Hello, son," Shira says, "Antonio, is it?"

"Yes, mom. I'm your son, Antonio." Antonio replies.

"Antonio. Sounds like something I'd name my son." Diego states.

"It's something we did name our son," says future Diego as he walks to the front of the cave

"And we love him just as much as we love each other," future Shira says, while hugging Antonio.

"Mom! You know I don't like being hugged!" complains Antonio.

"But I like to hug you, so I am," replies future Shira.

After she breaks the hug, Antonio runs deeper in the cave, saying, "I'll go get the rest of the herd!"

"Well, I never thought I would say hello to myself," future Diego says.

"Neither did I..." past Diego replies.

"Hello, Shira. Nice to meet me," both Shiras say at the same time. All the introductions stop when a small, light brown mammoth comes running around the corner.

"Is Granpa really here?" The little mammoth says, before seeing Manny. "Granpa!" he shouts as he runs up to Manny.

"Hello, little guy. You must be Graham?" Manny asks.

"Yep. That's me!" Graham replies. "Why weren't you here before?"

"Well-" Manny starts to reply, but is cut off by another mammoth.

"Graham, that's not important," Ethan says. "What's important is that he's here now."

"Dad..." another mammoth replies, before running up to Manny, much like Ellie. "I've miss you so much."

"I would say I missed you too, but..." Manny replies.

"I know. 16 year-old me was with you," future Peaches replies. "And there I am..."

"Hello, me," past Peaches says. "Graham is so cute!

"Thank you, other mommy!" Graham says.

"Aww!" past Peaches replies.

"We've done well, haven't we, Peaches?" Ethan says.

"Yes, you have... and I will." past Peaches replies, while watching Graham play with her father. "It's so weird, to see an older you married with a son to an older version of your crush."

"I could imagine... but is it as weird as seeing two of your best friends at the same time?" future Louis says, now appearing on top of future Peaches head.

"Hello, me," past Louis says. "I sure don't get nervous talking to myself. Not like with Ginny."

"Ginny? Who's Ginny?" future Peaches asks.

"Ginny's the molehog I met earlier... Wait a second. I told you about her ten years ago. Do you not remember?"

"Ginny... Ginny... Doesn't ring a bell." future Peaches says.

"Well, I know he told me about her, so you should remember her...?" past Peaches says.

"Even I don't remember her," future Louis says.

"Well, I know I saw her," past Louis. "Or maybe I just imagined her... I hope not. She was so pretty..."

"Well, neither of us remember her either." future Crash and Eddie say at the same time, suddenly appearing on future Peaches' head, next to future Louis. Past Crash and Eddie then see their future selves.

"Future us... Cool!" They both say.

"Past us... Awesome!" the future possums say. "You wanna go jump off the waterfall?"

"YEAH!" the past possums reply. The four possums start to leave until future Ellie stops them.

"You guys know that we only leave the cave to get food. It's too dangerous out there for you guys to do your stupid stunts."

"Aww, darn it!" All the possums reply, slowly walking back in the cave.

"I still don't see why we can't go outside for fun," future Sid says, now riding on Antonio's back.

"Do you want to get yourself killed?" future Ellie asks.

"Uh, no."

"Then stay here."

Past Sid then walks up to future Sid. "Do I really get that lazy, that I have to ride on my nephew's back just around a small cave?"

"Yeah, you weigh way too much for me to be doing this," Antonio says as he dumps future Sid on the ground.

"Ow!" Sid says as he gets up. "Show some appreciation to your uncle, will ya?"

"Bye," Antonio simply answers as he walks away.

"Okay then, looks like everyone's here," future Ellie announces. "Our food supply is getting low. We need two groups to go out and get some; one for the fruit, and one for the saber's meat."

"Me, past me, and past Shira will go get the meat," future Diego says.

"Why not future me too?" past Shira asks.

"She has to watch Antonio. He can be a bit of a troublemaker sometimes..."

"Ok then, who's getting the fruit?"

"I'll go," Manny volunteers.

"Me too," past Ellie adds.

"I'll go, too," past Peaches says.

"Ok then, bring back as much as you can carry. And be carefu. The evil troops hide everywhere."

* * *

The two Diegos and past Shira are on their way to find some fish.

"Fish is by far the easiest meat to find anymore." future Diego says.

"Why?"

"Manny's army kills all the gazelles and mammals we do eat, but we have no idea what they do with them."

"Any sabers in his army?" Shira asks.

"Yes... oh, of course! They feed the sabers with them!" future Diego replies.

Past Diego shakes his head at his future selves' stupidity.

"Let's just get some fish and head back to the cave," he says.

* * *

Manny, past Ellie, and past Peaches are on their way to a cluster of apple and orange trees future Ellie had pointed out.

"I haven't seen any evil villains from your army at all," Peaches says.

"It's not _my _army, it's my future selves' army," Manny replies.

"It's still yours," Ellie says.

"Let's just get some fruit and get back to the cave," Manny responds.

As they walk along in silence, a badger, with a skull and crossbones pattern, is following them from the shadows. He starts to speed up ahead of them, climb up a tree, and then jump out from one of the tree's branches.

"Whoa! Who are you?" Peaches asks.

"I know you... You're that badger from the pirate crew! Gupta, wasn't it?" Manny asks with venom.

"Wait. Didn't he get killed with the rest of the crew?" Ellie asks.

"That's not important. I am here to help you fight you." Gupta says.

"Why should I believe you?" Manny asks.

"That's vhat I'm here about. To tell you that not everything is what it seems." Gupta replies.

"What?"

"Be careful of vho you believe. That's all I can say. I vould tell you vhat's really going on, but the future you vould- I don't vanna think about that."

"What's really going on... What?"

"Goodbye, my friends! I hope to see you alive!" Gupta says as he runs off.

"Friends? How can he think we're friends with him?" Peaches asks.

" 'Be careful of who you believe'... I think someone's not telling the truth," Ellie says. "I just wish I knew who."

"I wish he would tell us what's going on here. What do you think he meant by that?" Manny asks.

"I don't know... Let's just get some fruit and get back to the cave." Ellie replies.

The mammoths continue to walk on to the fruit trees in silence. When they get to where they can see the trees, Manny sees another mammoth there, and stops.

"Manny, what's wrong?" Ellie asks.

That... mammmoth..." Manny replies.

"Who is it, dad?" Peaches asks.

"No... It can't be..."

"What?"

"It looks like... Delia..."

"Who?"

"My first wife..."


	4. Chapter 4

CH. 4

The three mammoths watch as the mammoth, who Manny claims to be his dead wife Delia, leaves.

"How is that possible? You said she died all those years ago." Ellie asks.

"I watched her die, too, so I know that she's dead," Manny replies.

"Well, we travelled through time. Why couldn't she?" Peaches asks.

"She has a point," Ellie adds.

"She could have," Manny says, "But to the same time as we did?"

"I don't know how wormholes work," Peaches says.

"And like Gupta said, 'not everything is what it seems, and be careful of who you believe'," Ellie adds.

"Maybe it's a relative that looks a lot like her," Peaches states.

"Could be... Maybe I'll see her sometime, and can ask her." Manny says.

"Maybe." Ellie states. "But for now, let's just do our job and collect the fruit."

The three mammoths grab a giant leaf, put as many apples and oranges on it as it can hold, and carry it back to the cave.

* * *

The three sabers are carrying the fish they caught back to the cave on a big leaf much like the one the mammoths are using.

"You sure we need this much fish?" Shira asks.

"Of course. We don't leave the cave for food very often. For that to work, we need to stock up on it." future Diego replies.

"Still, this is a bit heavy..."

The sabers are interrupted when a purplish-red kangaroo with golden eyes hops out in front of them. "Jus' the sabers I wa' lookin' for," she says.

"Raz? What are you doing here?" Shira asks.

"I come with a warnin'-" Raz replies, but is cut off by past Diego.

"I'll give you a warning; five seconds to leave before I slice your throat."

"Wait! I'm tryin' to help ya!"

"Why?"

"Because, what Manny's doin' is wrong. Now, as I was sayin', Manny recently told part of tha' army to come to the north side of the island. I think he's figured out where ya' live."

"How?"

"I have no idea- wait, why are there two of ya?"

"The herd from ten years ago came to help fight Manny."

"How'd they come through time- oh, righ', the 'wormhole'. I almos' forgot about that thing."

"Why'd you say wormhole all sarcastic, like as if it wasn't one?" past Diego asks.

"Oh- I've said too much. Manny's gonna have my hide- gotta go. Bye!" Raz says as she hops away quickly.

"Wait!" Shira yells, but the kangaroo is already gone. "Something strange is going on here. First, Raz wants to help us. Ten years ago, she wanted us dead. Second, I'm a hundred percent sure I heard a hint of sarcasm when she said wormhole. Whenever she spoke in that tone back on the ship, she was lying."

"You think that the wormhole isn't a wormhole? That we didn't go forward in time?" past Diego says.

"I don't know-" Shira says, but future Diego interrupts her.

"Of course you came forward in time. I mean, you saw your son, Peaches' son, all of us older, Manny nowhere to be found..."

"That's another thing that bugs me. I've known Manny for many years, and he never showed anything even remotely evil. He would never turn evil. Wait... Manny nowhere to be found? He supposedly turned evil and took over the island, not disappeared." past Diego says, aiming a questioning glare at his future self.

"Well, well, well, softie's trying to figure things out," says a human walking out of the woods.

"Are you Tyrone?" Shira asks.

"That, I am," Tyrone replies. "And you are coming with me."

"No we're not-" Shira replies but is cut off when Tyrone releases a mysterious gas out towards the sabers. "Wha-wha-what was tha-" Shira tries to speak before she falls unconscious, as do both Diegos.

"Nighty-night, kitties," Tyrone replies evilly, as some sabers come out of the woods and carry the unconscious sabers away.

* * *

Raz, who saw Tyrone and the sabers walking in that direction, watches them take the sabers hostage. She then hops to the cave to warn the herd of what's happened.

* * *

Manny, Ellie, and Peaches return to the cave with a leaf full of oranges, apples, and whatever other fruits they could find.

"Will this be enough?" asks Peaches.

"By far," future Ellie replies. "Now, we just have to wait for Diego and Shira to come back with the meat."

"Don't you mean both Diegos?" past Ellie asks.

"They're the same saber, so I only need to say it once."

Manny is walking deeper in the cave when Graham comes running up to him. "Granpa! Come look at the drawing I made of our family on the wall!"

"Okay, I'm coming," Manny replies. They walk deeper in the cave to where Graham likes to draw on the cave walls.

"See? It's a picture of everyone!" Graham exclaims. "There's you, both grammas, both mommies, dad, all the sabers, both Sids, all the possums, both Louis's, Tyson, and look! I even made a picture of your first family uncle Diego told me about!"

Manny stares at the picture his grandson of his first family, most intently his first wife. He was still thinking about the mammoth he saw back in the forest.

"Still thinking about her?" past Ellie says as she walks up next to Manny.

"Think about who?" Graham asks.

"Why don't you go to your mom? I need to talk to grandpa for a moment." Ellie replies.

"Okay," Graham says before leaving.

"I still don't know how it could have been her, if it was, of course." Manny replies. "She never disappeared through time that I know of, and I knew her until she died..."

"What's going on?" future Ellie says as she walks up to Manny and her past self, overhearing part of the conversation.

"Manny saw a mammoth in the forest," past Ellie says.

"And it looked just like her," Manny adds.

"Her who?" future Ellie asks.

"My first wife, Delia," Manny answers.

"How- did she time travel?" future Ellie questions.

"I didn't talk to her. I don't even know if it was her. I just know that she sure looked like Delia." Manny replies.

"I don't know of any other wormholes on the island, either, and the one you came through is only connected to your time and now, and a wormhole is out of the question."

"Unless there's one you don't know about."

"Well, that could be, but, anymore, we know the whole island, in and out."

"In and out? You went inside the island?"

"Underneath. After all, we are in a cave, which are always underneath the ground."

"Just like the dinosaur world," past Ellie rejoins the conversation.

"Yeah." future Ellie says.

"Underneath... The dinosaur world... wait a second..." Manny mutters, lost in thought.

"Manny, what are you talking about?" past Ellie asks, but Manny does not hear her.

"Could it be..."

* * *

_Manny, Delia, and their son, Dom, are all backed up against a large rock, cornered by a tribe of humans, each with a deadly spear aimed at the mammoths. The leader of the tribe yells something the mammoths cannot understand._

_"Mom, dad, I'm scared," Dom says in a horror-filled tone._

_"Shh. It'll be alright. We'll make it out of this just fine," Delia says, but casts a doubtful look at her husband._

_The humans then start to charge and throw their spears at the mammoths. One hits Delia in the leg._

_"Oww!" She screams in pain as blood starts to flow down her leg._

_"Delia!" "Mom!" Manny and Dom scream at the shemoth's new injury._

_Out of nowhere, a large crack suddenly opens up inbetween the rock and the mammoth family. Delia, holding Dom for safety, starts to slide into the new fault._

_"Manny!" Delia screams as she slides down the fault, holding out Dom with her trunk for Manny to take him before she falls. Unfortunately, a spear hits a patch of Earth that Delia has her leg on, and Delia and Dom slide out of Manny's reach and fall down into the Earth, along with over half of the human tribe._

_"DELIA! DOM!" Manny screams, hoping they climb back up to him, but sadly, they do not. The remaining members of the human tribe run off to leave the mammoth grieving for his lost loved ones._

_"Delia... Dom..." Manny whispers as tears start to slide down his face, and he cries himself to sleep, right next to the fault where his loved ones where killed._

* * *

"Maybe..." Manny says, still lost in his thoughts. "When they fell down into the Earth... they fell into the dinosaur world... survived... and found their way out and back to the surface!"

"What?" both Ellies ask at the same time.

"Delia and Dom... when they died, they died by falling into a large crack in the Earth. Maybe, they fell into the dinosaur world, survived, and found their way back to the surface."

"That is a possibility, I guess..." future Ellie, unsure of what Manny is saying.

"Did she look older than we she died?" past Ellie asks.

"A bit, maybe," Manny replies.

"It's inside the realm of possibility, but is it really-" future Ellie says, but is cut off by Tyson running into the cave, alarmed, and panting.

"Guys... I went out to check on why Diego and Shira were taking so long to get fish, and," he pauses before finishing, "they're gone."

"What?" Manny and Ellie ask.

"I went down to the river they get their fish at everytime they go anymore, and they take the same trail everytime, I know Diego would take them that way, but I could not find them anywhere on the trail or at the river."

"Well then, where are they?"

"I don't know."

"I sure hope the evil army didn't capture them."

The conversation is interrupted when Raz hops into the cave to tell the herd what she saw.

"Whoa, how did she get here?" Manny asks.

"Relax, I ain't here to attack ya'," Raz says.

"Let me guess. You're trying to help us like Gupta is?" past Ellie.

"Yea, we're workin' togethea'. These two already know," Raz says, pointing at Tyson and future Ellie.

"We were waiting to tell you guys until everyone was here," Tyson says. "Me and Ellie are the only ones that knew, until now." He then turns to Raz. "So, what's the news this time?"

"I talked to the sabers that were out gettin' fish. I told to tell ya' about part of Manny's army bein' sent up here- which now I'm tellin' ya."

"If you told Diego and Shira to come tell us, then why are you coming to tell us?" Manny asked.

"Because, when I left 'em, I saw your brotha'," she nods at Tyson, "and some of the army's sabers walkin' towards 'em. Tyrone used the sleepin' gas to knock 'em out, and then the sabers carried 'em back to the fortress."

"I went so far as to build a fortress?" Manny asks.

"That's not important," Raz replies. "What's important is breakin' the sabers out of the dungeon."

"It has a dungeon?"

"Oh, great. Other than the Shira of now, the members most useful for this mission are the ones we have to save!" Tyson says.

"Wait. If part of the army's coming up here, than won't there be less guards at the fortress?" Manny asks.

"Well, yes. But, we have to get around the army just to get to the fortress." future Ellie answers.

"Wait. How'd ya know I was workin' with Gupta?" Raz asks Manny and past Ellie.

"He stopped us on the way to get fruit," past Ellie says. "He said to be careful of who you believe, and that not everything is what it seems. But, he also said that he would tell us what's really going on, but the future Manny would- well, I presume kill him, by the way he was talking."

"What's really goin' on? He must have meant about the army comin' up here. I don't know why he wouldn't tell ya' bout that, though."

"When will the army get here?"

"It moves slow. Probably tomorrow night."

"Then we will leave first thing tomorrow morning to save Diego and Shira, and then find a new place to stay, as this one looks to be unavailable." Tyson announces.

"Alright. I'll see ya' guys the next time I have information. Goodbye," Raz says.

"Goodbye," Tyson replies.

"Okay then. Two members of the pirate crew, whom we thought dead, are revealed to be alive and helping us," Manny says.

"Yes," Tyson responds.

"So, does that mean that the rest of the pirate crew is here too, but helping evil me?"

"Um, I believe they are, yes."

"Then why would just Raz and Gupta help us?"

"Well, they are a way we can get inside information on the enemies' movement. Why just them, I don't quite know. They volunteered to do it one day in the woods, and it's just been that way since." Tyson looks outside to see the sun completely set, and the moon starting to come up. "It looks like it's time for everyone to go to sleep. Have a good rest, because tomorrow, we rescue Diego and Shira."

With this, all members of the herd went to sleep with heavy thoughts of the captured sabers, supposedly dead mammoths, and mysterious world they have now entered.


	5. Chapter 5

CH. 5

Past Shira, past Diego, and future Diego all wake up to a loud clanging noise. They look up to see that it is Raz banging one of her knives against the rock wall of the chamber. Gupta also stands by her.

"What do you want?" asks past Diego.

"We've come to tell ya'," Raz says, "the rest of tha' herd knows you've been taken hostage. They're comin' to rescue ya' today."

"Ve are going to help too, but ve need to vait until the herd gets here. The numbers vill be large enough to escape easily," Gupta adds.

"So, how exactly are we going to get out?" Shira asks.

"See tha' small indention on the lower wall over there?" Raz asks.

"Yeah," Shira answers.

"Get to work diggin' through it and out of tha' cell. If a guard comes by, one of ya' sit in front of the tunnel to hide it until he leaves."

"What'll you guys be doing all this time?" future Diego asks.

"Vaiting for the herd to get here so ve can help them. Vhat else?" Gupta replies."Oh, and pretending to do our guard duties, of course."

"See ya' in a few hours, more or less." Raz says as she leaves.

"See you."

After Raz and Gupta leave, the sabers get to work on the tunnel out.

"So, do you trust them?" past Diego asks.

"I don't know. As long as I knew them on the ship, they were good at lying. Plus, why would they help us? They hate us since we- well, had supposedly killed them, but I guess not." Shira replies.

"Um, either side they're on, they're still helping Manny." future Diego states.

"That's true, but still... That's an evil Manny, just Manny, and we are the entire group that they hate, and not evil at all."

"So, since you don't trust them, you still trust what they say?" future Diego asks.

"What?"

"They said to dig a tunnel in the wall, and now you're doing it."

"If it's a way outta here, I'm all in."

"Good point."

"Now shut up and dig."

The three sabers spend the next few hours doing just that, stopping occasionally when a guard comes by, none of them ever finding the tunnel.

* * *

"Rise and shine, everyone. We've got some sabers to save," Tyson announces as he watches the sun rise from the entrance of the cave. "Plus, we need to move before the army gets here."

All the members of the herd, past and future, get up, have a small breakfast, and then start to leave, not bothering to bring the food, as it would slow them down, and they can find some along the way.

"At the speed we're moving, we should get to fortress in about... six hours, more or less."

"Why does the army take so long?" past Sid asks, riding on past Ellie's back.

"They're a very loyal bunch of soldiers, minus Raz and Gupta," Tyson replies, "But when it comes to travelling, they like to take their time. Don't know why, cause I'm pretty sure Manny doesn't like it."

"So, since we're going north on the east side of the island, I take it the army's on the west?" past Ellie asks.

"Yep. Stay over here, and they'll never find us. Unless, of course, they have scouts-" Tyson is interrupted when a few of the soldiers he was talking about running out of the woods towards them.

"And there they are now. Well, they're attacking; looks like we're on defense!"

"What?" both Sids ask simultaneously.

"Just don't let them kill you," Tyson replies as dodges a lunge by a dark orange saber. This starts the battle between the herd and the 9 scouts sent out by the dark army.

Manny is attacked by a dark brown, nearly black mammoth. "You look a lot like master," he says as he swings his left tusk at Manny's head. "Hope you fight like him for your sake."

"Tell him I don't like my name being put to bad use!" Manny says as he pushes the mammoth into a tree, knocking the tree over, and knocking the mammoth out.

Both Ellies are fighting a duo of wolves. The wolf with black fur states, "Huh. You two look like the same mammoth."

"We are the same mammoth," past Ellie says, "just from different times."

The gray wolf then states, "Twice the mammoth, twice the fun!" she says as both wolves lunge at both mammoths. Each Ellie catches one of the wolves, and throws them into a nearby rock wall, effectively knocking them out.

Both Peaches and both Louis are fighting two sabers, one of gray fur, like Shira, and one of pure black fur.

"Hmm... an adult mammoth, a teenage one, and a couple of cute molehogs... This is going to be fun," says the gray saber.

"I call the adult one. At least it might be a little challenge." the black one says as he lunges at future Peaches. Peaches tries to dodge, but is scraped in the front left shoulder by the saber's claw.

"Ugh!" She says in annoyance at her now bleeding shoulder. She rataliates by grabbing the saber by the neck with her trunk and throwing him against a tree. Unfortunately, the saber gets back up and lunges at Peaches again, now angry, but is taken down by a tree trunk that comes flying at him, thrown by Manny. This time, the saber stays down. "Thanks," Peaches says to her father.

"No problem," Manny replies. "Now let's see that shoulder. I saw it get struck."

Meanwhile, teenage Peaches is having a bit of a struggle versus the gray saber. Both Louis are on her head, but they're not much for fighting...

"Having trouble, are we?" taunts the gray saber. "I didn't expect it to be this easy."

The saber launches itself at Peaches, but Ethan charges through, knocking down the saber.

"Damn you, mammoth!" the saber says. "I had an easy kill, and you had to ruin my day-" the saber is cut off as Ethan picks him up and throws him against a tree, knocking him unconscious, and landing him right next to black saber.

"Thank you," Peaches says to Ethan.

"Hey, I have to save my wife!" Ethan replies. Peaches giggles in response, and Ethan starts laughing as well.

Future Shira is having her own struggle against the orange saber that lunged at Tyson to start the battle. Both sabers are evenly matched, but unfortunately, Shira starts to lose stamina first, and the orange saber pins her to the ground.

"Any last words?" the saber asks.

"Yeah, watch out for the mammoth."

"What?" the saber is caught off guard when past Ellie throws him high into the air, picks up the log Manny had previous used, and hits him, sending him flying far away into the forest.

"Thank you," Shira says, now getting up.

"We're a herd," Ellie replies. "We've got eachother's backs, remember?"

All four possums are having a battle with two rabbits. Both rabbits use small knives made of ice, while the possums are fighting back with sticks.

"Wait. Haven't I seen you before?" past Eddie says, pointing at one of the rabbits.

"Yeah, I think I remember him too," past Crash adds, while blocking the other rabbit's knife.

"Of course ya' do! I'm Squint, the pirate rabbit? Ya' remember now?" Squint says in annoyance.

"Oh yeah! I remember that!" future Crash says as he knocks the other rabbit's knife in the air, knocking the rabbit down as well, and the knife comes down right in the rabbit's-

"TANNY!" Squint yells, seeing the rabbit impaled by her own sword. "You- You killed my sister! Now... You... will... DIE..."

"Wait! Why aren't you helping us like Raz and Gupta?" past Eddie says, while dodging Squint's charge like all of his brothers.

"Raz and Gupta are helping you?" Squint looks around to see most members of the army unconscious. "Looks like I ain't got a chance here... But, Manny sure will like to know this information," he states, and then runs off, but not before pausing and yelling back, "And I WILL have my revenge..."

"I said way too much, didn't I?" past Eddie states, in embarrassment.

While all the fighting is going on, both Sids, Antonio, and Graham, are cheering the herd on from the sidelines.

"Come on! Beat their butts you guys!" past Sid yells.

"You can take 'em!" future Sid adds.

Unfortunately, they do not see the light brown kangaroo sneaking up behind them.

"Umm... uncle Sid..." Graham says.

"Not now, I'm cheering on your parents-" past Sid replies before the kangaroo bangs he and his future selves' heads together, knocking them out. The kangaroo starts to grab Graham to take him hostage, but then he sees the young mammoth's parents coming...

"Uh, good day, mate! Buh-bye!" He says before bounding off into the woods, leaving Graham behind.

"Oh, honey, did the mean kangaroo scare you?" future Peaches asks her now crying son, and he nods in reply.

"Don't worry. As long as your dad's here, no one will ever lay a paw on you." Ethan says.

Graham stops crying, and sees something on his mother's shoulder. "Mom? What's that?" he asks, pointing at it.

"Oh, that's the leaf bandage grandpa made for me. I kinda got hurt, and then grandpa saved me," Peaches answers.

Ethan grabs the two unconscious sloths, asking his wife why they left them with the kids, getting only a smile and roll of the eyes in response. The family, plus Antonio and the sleeping Sids, then walk over to where the rest of the herd is gathered after the battle.

"Is everyone alright?" Tyson asks, getting nods from the entire herd.

"Umm... I kinda... mighta... told Squint that Raz and Gupta are working with us... and he ran off to tell the evil Manny..." past Eddie states nervously.

"Oh no..." Tyson states. "We must leave quickly. Squint, moving alone, will get there in no time. We have to rescue and sabers, and then get Raz and Gupta out before... I don't wanna think about that."

"Does anyone else think it's weird that a female rabbit is impaled and killed two days in a row?" past Peaches asks.

"What are you talking about?" Ethan asks. "No rabbit died yesterday."

"She's talking about back in her time," Tyson answers. "Before we left, there was a dead rabbit- died the same way as this one. To her, of course, it felt like yesterday."

"After she died, Squint said that it was his sister, and that he would get revenge on us for killing her," Crash says.

"Wait. Squint had a sister?" Shira asks. "Even I didn't know about her, and I lived with him for many years."

"We don't have time to talk about this. We need to get to the fortress as fast as possible and save our friends," Tyson announces. With this, the herd starts travelling north again, leaving behind the unconscious and dead bodies.

* * *

Shira and the Diegos are almost finished digging the tunnel.

"Good thing... we're... almost done..." future Diego says. "I'm getting... tired..."

The sabers hit the wall that leads to their escape.

"Leave this until the herd gets here," Shira says. "That way, if any guards come by before they arrive, they won't see the giant hole in the wall."

"Good idea," past Diego replies. "I'll sit in front of this hole in the wall, so they won't see the entrance."

The sabers converse about a random topic, until a dark orange saber guard walks up to their cell.

"Hey!" he yells, causes the imprisoned sabers to look at him. "I brought you some food, instructed by master." He then slides a rock covered with fish into the cell.

"What? No thank you?" the saber asks.

"Um, you've kind of imprisoned us. Why would we thank you?" Shira replies.

"Good point." He watches Shira and future Diego move to start eating the fish, but past Diego stays back in the corner, watching the other two eat.

"Hey! You gonna eat?" The guard asks. "And why is the floor covered in small pieces of rock around your feet?"

"I'm not hungry," past Diego replies, "and the floor was like this when I was thrown in here."

"You sure? Cause I walked through here earlier, and I don't remember the floor being all dirty like that before."

"I am 100 percent positive the floor was like this when I got here."

The guard looks at him suspiciously before replying. "Okay... carry on, then," He says, walking down the hall. Suddenly, he slips and falls into the wall- right where the tunnel was dug. The wall breaks, and the guard discovers the sabers' escape route.

"Hey! I knew the floor wasn't like that before! It was because digging a tunnel... to escape through! I'm gonna go tell master!" The guard then runs off, leaving the sabers all alone, with a perfectly available escape route.

"Is he really that stupid, to leave us here all alone, with the tunnel here wide open?" Shira asks in disbelief.

"Don't ask. Let's just get out of here before evil Manny shows up." past Diego replies. The sabers climb through the tunnel and turn right into the hallway, searching for the exit from the fortress.

* * *

Squint is running at lightning speed, travelling to the fortress to tell Manny of Raz and Gupta's rebellion. He then sees the fortress in question.

"I thought I could trust you guys, old crewmates," Squint mutters. "And you turn around and rebel against the master?"

He runs up to the fortress entrance, right as Raz and Gupta are coming out of it.

"YOU!" Squint yells at his two former friends, now- apparently- enemies.

"Wha' are ya' yellin' bout this time, Squint?" Raz asks.

"You... you rebelled against the master? Why?"

"How'd you find out?"

"I was part of the scout group that attacked the herd... My sister died in that battle... but one of those stupid possums... a different one than the one that killed Tanny... told me about you helping them. The master needs to know."

"Stupid possums... They ruin everything..." Raz mutters. "Why are ya' helpin' him? Don't ya' see what's gonna happen if he wins?"

"What are you talking about?"

"This whole place will be gone. Our current home. Do ya' really think he's gonna stay here, with all o' us, and live here tha' rest o' his life? No! When his revenge is done, he's gonna' destroy this place! Possibly with us still on it!"

"Do ya really vanna die that vay?"

"I never thought about it that way..."

"Help tha' herd, maybe they'll let us join after this madness is all ovah' with."

"It's better that vay..."

Squint thinks for a second before replying, "Okay. I'll help you guys. But don't think I now don't want revenge on those possums. They killed my sister... Do you know how traumatic that is?"

"I think that as long as ya' don't kill the possums, you'll be fine. Now, come on, let's go find tha' herd and tell them they gotta new helpah'.

As they turn to leave, Shira and the two Diegos bust through the doors, being chased by a female rabbit guard.

"You prisoners better get back here, or I'll-" the rabbit is cut off when she is impaled by a knife thrown by Raz.

"Why does every female rabbit in this story get impaled with a knife?"

"You're breakin' the fourth wall."

"What?"

"Nevah' mind. Now, how'd ya' escape already?"

"We finished the tunnel, had an opening," Shira answers, "only guard we met was the one you just killed."

"Ya' got lucky. Now, c'mon. Let's go tell tha' herd you're safe, and ask if they'll allow three new membah's."


	6. Chapter 6

CH. 6

In a room near the top of the fortress, a mysterious pitch black mammoth looks out at the sabers, kangaroo, badger, and rabbit below him. He hears another mammoth approach behind him, but continues to stare out the window as he talks.

"Have you found it?"

"No, sir. But-"

"No buts. I don't want to hear anything about your stupid revenge until that artifiact is found. Got it?"

"Well,-

"NOW!"

"Okay, sir. I'll send part of my army out to search for it." The mammoth states while leaving the room, but is stopped by the black mammoth.

"One more thing. You have traitors in your army."

* * *

The herd is still walking north, towards the fortress. Manny is lagging behind, still lost in his thoughts about his possibly deceased wife. Past Ellie notices this and walks back to talk to him.

"Are you still thinking about her?"

"Yeah. I just can't believe... that after all these years... she might be-" Manny cuts off when he hears a rustling through the bushes to their right. "Did you hear that?"

"Yeah. What was it?"

"I'm gonna see." Manny pushes away a couple tree branches to see _her._

"What do you see?" Ellie asks she looks through the trees as well. "Oh..."

A male mammoth, about five years old, walks out from behind her leg.

"Is that your son?" Ellie asks.

"It looks exactly like him... when he died..."

"Mommy? Can we get some oranges instead of apples?" the young mammoths says.

"I don't know where to get any oranges, honey," the adult mammoth says.

"But if it's your son, he wouldn't still be that young over all these years."

"Unless..."

"He travelled through time?"

"Maybe..."

"Go. Find out if it's her."

Manny wastes no time walking out of the bushes and towards the mystery mammoth.

"Delia? Is that you?" he asks.

The female looks back to see Manny walking towards her. "Manny..." she sighs before adding on, "No. Delia is gone."

"You're not..." Manny says, downtrodden. "Then who are you? And him?"

"I'm Delia's sister, Delilah," Delilah replies, "and this is my son, and your nephew, Devon."

"Delia's sister? Delia never said anything about having siblings."

"I don't know why she wouldn't mention me."

"Wait. Where's Devon's father?"

"He died three years ago..."

"Oh..." Manny says before adding, "I know how it feels, only-"

"I know. You lost your son too. Don't forget that I lost a sister and nephew that day."

Manny then looks down at Devon. "Hey there, little guy. I'm your uncle Manny," he says, but Devon just hides behind his mother's leg.

"He's very shy. It'll take a while before he'll talk to you."

Manny then realizes that his herd did not know that he was stopping, and continued going forward without him. "Listen, I really need to get back to my herd before they get to far ahead, so I should probably go now..."

"I understand. I hope to see you again. Goodbye," Delilah says as Manny starts to leave back through the bushes.

"Goodbye!" Manny says as he waves his trunk before disappearing back through the bushes.

"Well? Is it her?" Ellie asks.

"No," Manny replies. "It's her sister, Delilah, and her son, Devon."

"Oh..."

"Hey, I still have you and Peaches, and I'm sure not giving up on you guys."

"I love you, Manny."

"I love you, too, Ellie. We should probably get back to the herd before they get even further ahead-"

"Or not," says the brown kangaroo from the battle, now appearing in front of them.

"Where did you come from?" Manny asks.

"That doesn't mattah," the kangaroo replies. "All that mattah's is this!" He then throws a poison spike at each mammoth, hitting each in the trunk.

"What... was... that..." Ellie says before falling to the ground unconscious.

"Ellie... no..." Manny says before joining his wife in slumber.

"Poison spikes- works every time."

* * *

The fortress escapees are running (and hopping) south when they finally see the herd travelling north.

"Tyson! Ellie!" Shira yells, seeing these two at the front of the herd.

"Shira? Diego? How did you escape?" future Ellie asks.

"Raz? Gupta?" Tyson says, seeing them following the sabers. "...and Squint."

"We're outta here!" all the possums say when they hear Squint's name, running off into the woods.

"Peaches? Want to go get your uncles?" Ellie asks.

"Sure thing," past Peaches replies, following after the possums into the forest, with past Louis on her head.

"Since the rabbit's not attacking yet," Tyson says, receiving a glare from Squint, "how did you escape?"

"Well, Raz told us to start digging a tunnel through an indentation in the wall of the cell, but to wait to escape through it until you got there, because we could fight off guards easier with more numbers. We decide to stop when all we have left is the outside wall. Of course, a guard slips and falls into the wall, completely opening the tunnel, but, lucky for us, it turns out to be the dumbest guard in the world. He leaves us there, with a wide open escape route, to go tell his master about what we were doing. On the way out, the only guard we ran into was a rabbit- which is now dead," Shira says.

"Okay then." Tyson then turns to Squint. "So, why is this living rabbit here?"

"He's with us now," Raz replies. "And we came to ask ya' somethin'."

"That would be?" Tyson responds.

"We'd like to join tha' herd, if that's okay with everyone here..."

Ellie looks around at the herd, which most everyone nods, except Tyson.

"Sorry Tyson. Majority rules. Looks like we have three new herd members." The three former pirates share happy glances before meeting their new family members.

"Wait. Shouldn't Manny be here to have say in this matter?" Tyson asks.

"Where is Manny? And past me?" Ellie responds, the entire herd looking around in wonder.

"Oh no..." past Peaches says, having returned with four possums on her tusks. "Please don't tell me that my parents have been taken hostage now."

* * *

Manny and Ellie awake to see themselves deep inside a cave, each of their legs chained to the cave wall.

"Where are we?" Ellie asks.

"I think we're in a cave," Manny answers.

"I meant where's the cave."

"I have no idea."

"And why are we chained to the wall?"

"Don't know that either. Here, let's see if I can break it." Manny tries cutting the chain with his tusk, but to no avail.

"You can't break a steel chain with that flimsy tusk of yours!" Tyrone exclaims as he walks up to the mammoths, followed by the kangaroo that knocked them out.

"Let us out of here!" Ellie exclaims.

"And why would I do that?" Tyrone asks.

"Because if you don't, when I do get out of here, I will ground you into pieces." Manny replies.

"You'll do that anyway."

"If you let me out now, I'll make it less painful."

"Uh, no. I have more important matters to attend to. Duran, watch over all the prisoners and make sure none escape."

"Yes, sir!" the kangaroo replies, now being revealed to be called Duran.

"All the prisoners? Are there more than just us?"

"Yes. But, that doesn't really mattah' when you're chained to tha' wall, does it?" Duran then starts to burst out laughing.

"I gotta go check on the othah' prisonahs. If ya' escape, ya' gotta pass by me, though. Remember that." Duran laughs again as he walks away from the mammoths.

They both struggle to get loose from their chains again, but fail.

"Manny... What are we going to do?" Ellie asks.

"We have to find a way to break these chains," Manny replies, trying again, and also failing again.

"After all that's happened, I'm not sure the three of us can get out alive..."

"Three of us?"

"Oh... I never told you, did I?"

"Tell me what?"

"Manny, I'm... I'm pregnant."

"YOU'RE PREGNANT?"

* * *

"MANNY!" "ELLIE!" Each member of the herd, new and old, repeatedly yell out their names as they search for them in the forest.

"This is pointless," future Ellie says. "I know Manny, and I know myself, and I know that since we're missing, the only explanation is that we've been taken hostage."

"Well, I have a pretty good idea of who did it," Tyson says. "I just don't know where they took them."

"I migh' have an idea." Raz says.

"What?" most of the rest of the herd asks.

"Tyrone has a secret cave on tha' far west side of tha' island where he keeps his prisonahs. I'm takin' a wild guess and sayin' that's where they are."

"How'd you know about this?" asks Squint.

"Tyrone had me watch tha' prisonahs one time. Normally, he has that other kangaroo, Duran, do it, but he was off on anothah' mission for Manny."

"Why didn't you mention this before?" past Peaches asks.

"I just now remembah'd it."'

"Do you remember where it is?"

"Yeah. I can lead ya' to it."

"Then let's go!"

The herd heads out to the west side of the island, hoping to find the lost mammoths.

* * *

"Why didn't you tell me that you were pregnant?"

"I was going to, but then Tyson showed up, and I decided not to mention it yet, since you would never let me come here if you knew."

"Wait. If we have another kid, then- where is he?"

"Huh?"

"He should have a future counterpart, like the rest of us right? Where is his?"

"The only other mammoths here are Ethan and Graham... Ethan technically our son, but not birth son, and Graham's our grandson. You're right; where is he or she?"

"I guess he could be in the evil army; no one wanted to mention him since he's not the leader of him, and not that important."

"Or he could have... died..."

"Don't say that. I would never let my son or daughter die. Even if I did turn evil."

The mammoths' conversation is interrupted when some small rocks fall from the back wall of the cave.

"What was that?"

More rocks fall as a guanlong busts through the wall and into the cave with Manny and Ellie.

"How did he get here?" Manny says as the guanlong eyes them hungrily. "Oh no..."

The guanlong runs at Manny. Manny lifts his front leg as the guanlong is about to bite it, but it ends up biting through the chain instead. Manny whacks the guanlong on the head with his tusk, effectively knocking him out.

"The dinosaur's teeth! We can use them to break the chains!" Ellie says.

"Good idea." Manny then starts to use the unconscious guanlong to free himself. "So... how did this guy get here?"

"He came through the rocks... Wait a second... You don't think..."

Manny frees himself and Ellie and they walk over to the rock wall. They start to slowly pull out rocks when a very familiar weasel suddenly busts through the wall.

"Buck!" Manny and Ellie say at the same time.

"You two mammoths again? Where's the rest of your group?" Buck asks.

"There somewhere on this island. We were taken prisoner. See those chains over there?" Ellie says, pointing her trunk at the broken chains.

"Who took ya prisoner down here?"

"A human named Tyrone did."

"How? Tyrone's living in here, just like me."

"What?"

"Yeah, come see." The weasel leads the mammoths through the wall he just bust through, the mammoths moving a few rocks so they can get through, and find a human that looks exactly like the Tyrone that just imprisoned them.


	7. Chapter 7

CH. 7

"And that's exactly what's going on here," Tyrone says, finishing his tale.

Manny and Ellie stand in shock, not believing what they just heard.

"What? How..." Ellie replies.

"I knew something fishy was going on, but I didn't expect all this." Manny says.

"Yes, the elaborate plan shocked me at first too, but I didn't want anything to do it, so they threw me in the dino world and-"

"Some prisonah's tryin' to escape, are ya?" Duran asks, now hopping into the plates of woe with the mammoths, human, and weasel.

"Oh no..."

"Good thing I carry around lots of poison spikes." Duran then throws some poison spikes at the mammoths, but narrowly misses as they dodge.

"Oh no ya don't, ya rascal!" Buck says as he hops onto Duran's head. Unfortunately, this results in Duran throwing the spike he is holding- and it ends up right in Ellie's shoulder.

"Ellie!" Manny yells, catching the unconscious mammoth as she starts to tip over.

Buck is wrestling with Duran on the ground. They repeatedly throw punches and kicks, leaving eachother with a few bruises. Duran takes a poison spike in his fist and punches Buck on the side of the face, leaving the spike stuck there.

"Goodnight, everybody!" Buck yells as he joins Ellie in slumber.

"Now that that's over with..." Duran turns to the mammoth and human still standing. He loads his fists with the rest of his poison spikes and throws them, too many to be dodged, and Manny and Tyrone fall to the ground unconscious.

"Great. Now we have ta' carry tha' mammoth again."

* * *

Raz leads the herd to the entrance to the cave where Manny and Ellie are imprisoned.

"That's tha' cave," Raz says.

"Let's just hope that Manny and Ellie are in there so that we can get them out." Tyson replies.

As the herd starts to enter the cave, a bunch of guards jump out from around and in the cave, now surrounding the herd.

"Oh, great. An ambush. Just what we need."

"I swear, we didn't know about this." Raz says.

"We figured you guys would try to save the mammoths," says a dark grey saber, apparently the leader of the guards. "Now, surrender, and no one gets hurt."

Tyson looks around at the near 40 sabers, wolves, mammoths, and variety of other animals surrounding the herd. He then looks at the unsure faces of his about 20 herd members, and decides that this battle, they would most likely lose.

"We have to surrender."

"What?"

"We're outnumbered 2 to 1, and that includes the kids, both Sids, and both Louis."

"Good choice. Now come with us. The boss said he wants to see you guys himself."

The herd follows the guards toward the fortress when Duran, another kangaroo, and a mammoth come out of the cave carrying an unconscious Ellie.

"Ellie!" Both possums yell in fear for their sister.

"Don't worry. She's coming with you guys and will be fine. For now." The head saber then starts to laugh as they head off for the fortress.

"Wait. We have ta' carry her all tha' way to tha' fortress? Can't we just wake her up an' let her walk herself?" Duran complains.

"Fine. But if she tries to escape, it's on you."

"Where's Manny?" past Sid asks.

"The boss requested he stay prisoner in the cave- wait a second. Why is she unconscious?"

"The mammoths tried ta' escape. I had ta' use tha' poison spikes."

"Did you re-imprison him?"

"Ya. I tied him up with some rope."

Past Ellie then comes to, seeing her herd being surrounded by guards.

"What's going on?" She asks, and looks around her. "And where's Manny?"

"Your herd's retreating, and coming with us to the fortress. I suggest you do the same. Oh, and Manny is still imprisoned in the cave. Boss said leave him there."

Ellie sees Raz, Gupta, and Squint walking with the herd, and not the guards. "Why are they with us?" she asks her future self, pointing her trunk at the former pirates.

"They want to join the herd, if it's alright with Manny, when we see him again, that is."

"I guess that's okay, as long as they don't hurt anyone."

"Well, Squint wants to kill our brothers, after they killed his sister..."

"Of course."

"But, other than that, we should be fine."

The mammoths end the conversation and they all walk on to the fortress.

* * *

Manny wakes up to the loud noise of Buck's knife clanging against a rock. Buck and Tyrone are staring at him, and he sees torn pieces of rope lying over to the side.

"What's going on?" Manny asks.

"A kangaroo showed up, knocked all of us out, and now you're mate is missing." Buck answers.

"Oh no... They took Ellie..."

"And we have no idea where they took her," Tyrone says. "My guess would be that they took her to the fortress. If that, rushing in blindly and trying to free her would be idiotic. We need a plan- which I came up with. But, for this plan to work, we first need to find _it._

"It what?" Manny asks.

"You know; the thing I told you to always call it around everyone."

"Oh, right. The di-"

"No, it's called it."

"Do you have any idea where to find it?"

"Yes. I've even went to get it before."

"Well then, why don't ya have it now?" Buck asks.

"Because, it's in a sealed cave. And to get into the sealed cave, someone has to stand on the platform to raise a door. Unfortunately, I was not heavy enough to raise the door. You, on the other hand, are obviously fat enough to open it." Tyrone replies, pointing at Manny.

"Hey! I'm not fat. It's this fur, it makes me look poofy."

"Whatever. You're still big enough to open the door. And it should stay open long enough for you get inside after I do. Just know that inside it will probably be quite dangerous." Tyrone then looks at Buck. "Are you coming too?"

"Of course! Dangerous is an invitation to Buck!"

"So, is this cave in the dino world, or on the 'island'?"

"That is where they are wrong. They all believe that it is on the 'island', however, it is actually in the dino world."

"Wait. How come I've never found it? I've lived here for years, know every part of this place, and I definitely do not remember a giant sealed cave anywhere."

"There is one place you don't know at all."

"You don't mean..."

"Yep. The cave is at the bottom of the chasm of death."

* * *

The saber that led the ambush comes into the throne room. He bows to his king before saying, "Master. The herd has arrived; we have everyone but Manny, even those three traitors you wanted to see very badly."

"Good. Send them in."

"Yes, sir." The saber then leaves to retrieve the herd.

* * *

The herd is waiting outside the fortress entrance while the head saber is talking to Manny.

"Wh-what do you th-think they're gonna do to u-us?" past Louis asks past Peaches, shivering in fear.

"Louis, it'll be alright. Dad's still out there, he can save us before anything bad happens."

The saber comes back out of the fortress. "The master says to come in now." The herd follows him inside, followed by the other guards.

The saber leads them into the throne room, the largest room in the fortress. The herd looks around in awe at all the decorations made of leaves, vines, branches, rocks, and whatever else they could make the room look fancy with.

"Hello, family." The herd turns to see the evil Manny walking toward them, a large smirk on his face.

"Why?" past Sid asks. "Why did you turn evil?"

"Why? That is for me to know, and you to never find out."

"I know why, and who you are." Past Ellie speaks up.

"What? How?"

"Back in the cave prison. Tyrone told me everything. I know-"

"Say another word, and you die."

Ellie shuts her mouth.

"Who you are? Is he not Manny?" Past Crash asks, standing on Ellie's tusk.

"Of course I am. Now, as for what's going to happen to you..."

"Please don't kill us!" Past Sid yells.

"We're too young to die!" adds his future self.

"You're not going to die. Not yet, at least. Unless she talks, of course," Manny says, pointing at past Ellie. "You have two choices; join my evil army, be my soldier; or prison. This isn't the prison Shira and Diego we're in, either. This is the secret prison beneath my palace that I haven't even had to use yet. You'll spend your days in chains, mining the walls for... well, I'll tell you when you get there. You'll have very little water and food, which you'll get plenty of if you take my first option, and talking to eachother will result in punishment. Now, you three traitors and the talky mammoth already got yourself a spot in the prison, so you guards, over there," he points at three saber guards over by the door, "escort them to the underground prison."

"Yes, sir!" They reply before leading Raz, Gupta, Squint, and past Ellie out the door and to the left.

"Each of you get to make your own decision about where to go. If you choose the army, go stand by the group of soldiers over on the east wall. Choose prison, go stand by the guards by the door."

Tyson is the first to reply. "I'll join the army."

"As will I," agrees future Diego.

"I'm going to the prison," past Peaches decides. "I want to watch out for mom."

"I'll go with Peaches," past Louis agrees.

The rest of the herd members make their choices; future Louis, Peaches, Ellie, Shira, Sid, possums, Ethan, Antonio, and Graham join the army, while the past Shira, Diego, possums, and Sid go to the prison.

"I hope you're all happy with your choices, because, either way, you're stuck with them. Guards, train the new recruits to be the best soldiers possible. I'm coming down to the prison to tell you prisoners you're new jobs."

* * *

Manny, Buck, and Tyrone stare down into the chasm of death, unable to see the bottom.

"I take it the laughing gas is still present?" Manny asks.

"Far as I now, yeah," Buck replies. "So, Ty, how do you suppose we get down there?"

"We jump."

"WHAT?" Manny, and surprisingly Buck, yell simultaneously.

"Jumping that far would be suicide!" Buck exclaims.

"I'm not killing myself just to get that thing!" Manny says.

"You're not going to die. Unless you can't swim, of course."

"Huh?"

"There's a pool at the bottom. You just can't see it through all the gas."

"So, is the gas down at the bottom, too?"

"Yep. You just have to hold your breath, and move quickly. The sealed cave is out of the gas' reach, somehow. After leaving the pool, go through the tunnel on the left. I suggest running, cause it's a long tunnel, and the gas is spread throughout most of it."

"Just not in the area with the cave."

"The physics here aren't very sound, are they?"

"Whatever. See you at the bottom." Buck then jumps off into the chasm.

"You're next." Tyrone says.

"If I die, I'm haunting you forever." Manny says as he follows Buck down.

"How? I'll be dead too." Tyrone says right before he jumps.

Manny holds his breath and braces for impact. When he hits, he finds himself in a large pool, just like Tyrone said. He quickly gets out, sees the tunnel, and runs down it. He is surprisingly not far behind Buck, but unfortunately trips over a rock, causing him to breathe in the toxic gas.

"Hey, Buck!" Manny yells in a high pitched voice.

Buck turns around. 'Oh no.' he thinks as he runs back to the mammoth to try to get him to move forward.

"I just realized- we're all gonna die for a rock!" Manny starts to laugh as Buck, and now Tyrone, somehow manage to pull him up and get him to walk forward with them.

"I saw the pineapple cheating on you- with Rudy!" Manny laughs again as they approach the end of the tunnel, and, thankfully, the end of the gas.

The exit the tunnel, and Manny falls to the ground laughing, but is back to his normal voice. "The pineapple-Rudy thing, that was the gas."

"Uh, yeah, we've been broken up for a long time. I don't really care anymore."

The trio look up to see a large rock acting as a door to the cave. Manny sees a raised platform over on the side of the door.

"Is that the platform I'm supposed to stand on?"

"Yep. After we get in, jump off and run into the cave as fast as possible so the door doesn't crush you when you enter."

"Oh joy..." Manny says as he gets on the platform. Buck and Tyrone enter the cave.

"This is for you Ellie..." Manny whispers as he jumps and runs under the door just before it slams against the ground.

"Phew... made it..."

"Umm... If you thought that was dangerous, you're in a real treat for what comes next."

"Oh, great."

The trio head deeper into the cave, searching for the mysterious artifiact...


End file.
